Prime Minister to host forum on the Digital Economy

Gillard, Julia

Australia's role in the growing digital economy will be discussed at a one-day Forum on the Digital Economy, to be hosted by the Prime Minister next month.

The rise of the digital economy presents enormous opportunities for the Australian economy. It is fundamentally changing the way business is conducted both within Australia and globally.

With the rollout of the National Broadband Network, Australian businesses can and should be able to capitalise on these opportunities.

The Prime Minister's Forum on the Digital Economy will bring together more than 30 senior business representatives, entrepreneurs and industry bodies to discuss how Australia can best maintain an edge in growing the digital economy into the future.

The forum will be hosted by the Prime Minister, Minister Conroy and Minister Shorten at the University of New South Wales on Friday 5 October.

The Prime Minister will open the Forum, with sessions to address these key issues:

* The success of innovative digital organisations;
* The opportunities and challenges of a digitally enabled world; and
* Thinking about work in the digitally engaged world.

We know that Australian SMEs stand to benefit from the NBN and the growth of the digital economy.

The Forum will draw on the experiences of entrepreneurial companies that have been successful in the digital economy, to support others to transition.

The Forum will also look at ways to improve Australia's competitiveness and productivity, building on the Government's National Digital Economy Strategy and Productivity Agenda. The National Digital Economy Strategy has set a goal for Australia to become a leading global digital economy by 2020.